The 10 Best Step Stools
Special Honors
Pottery Barn Kids Sloan Step Stool The Sloan step stool is more aesthetically pleasing than most other youth models, and features a minimalist modern design that will easily blend into many kitchens, bathrooms, and kids' rooms. Its step is made from solid wood, and it's available in one and two-step varieties in order to best meet your child's needs. potterybarnkids.com
Uline rolling step stool This industrial design is often found in libraries, offices, and other professional environments where longevity is key. It has a heavy-duty powder-coated steel frame and slip-resistant rubber pads on its steps, and additionally features spring loaded casters that automatically retract once it's stepped on. This makes for an excellent combination of stability and mobility. uline.com
Editor's Notes
August 11, 2020:
If you're just looking to provide a slight boost to help your child reach the sink or toilet, the first options you should look at are the Tundras Stool and the Growing Up Green Bamboo. The Tundras features a curved shape designed to conform to the base of a sink or toilet, but if you have a heavier child or think adults may use your stool you are better off with the Growing Up Green Bamboo since it has a much higher weight capacity. The Ollieroo Step Stool provides a similar height as the two aforementioned models, however it's better suited for adults since its weight and unfolding process might be difficult for children to deal with on their own.
Choices like the Rubbermaid PM-P2 and the Ikea Bekvam provide a rigid two step design and are good general purpose options. If you're an adult who needs help reaching high places in the kitchen these models provide plenty of stability and a decent height of 16 or 19 inches respectively. This also makes them prime candidates for helping shorter children reach counters and sinks, however it's probably best to only allow children to use these under supervision since the risk of injury from falling is increased. The only real downside to these models is that they don't fold up when not in use, which may be less than ideal if you live in a smaller house or apartment.
If you're intending to use your selection for things like dusting, changing light bulbs, and other such utilitarian applications it's best to turn to options like the CoscoProducts 11308, HBTower Ladder, and Delxo Folding Ladder. These step ladders may be overkill for just reaching a plate in the top cabinet, but they're hard to beat for more laborious tasks since they generally offer greater heights than fixed models and sturdy metal frames. The fact that they can be easily stowed when not in use but quickly unfolded when necessary is another positive feature.
Regardless of which selection you end up choosing it's important to take all possible precautions to avoid accidentally falling, especially for taller models. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations regarding safety, and avoid placing your stool on uneven or wet surfaces unless it's specifically designed to handle such things. For folding models it's also important to make sure you've fully expanded them before stepping on, as failing to do so may significantly hamper the amount of weight capacity and stability they're able to offer.